In the prior art, scanning lasers may use mechanical components (e.g., a mirror or other movable member) to scan a beam over a field of view. The mechanical components may require the scanning laser to cycle through an entire range of beam orientations, rather than supporting random access to any particular orientation of the scanning beam. For obstacle detection applications of a vehicle, the response time for collecting image data should be rapid over a wide field of view to facilitate early recognition and avoidance of obstacles.
Although micro-electromechanical systems may be applied to improve reliability and improve the response time of the scanning lasers, the cost of micro-mechanical systems may not be appropriate for some applications. Further, because a micro-electromechanical system may generate multiple lines of light from a common source, the intensity of the light near the source may exceed a target level (e.g., a desired safety level). For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an economical, safe, rapid and reliable method and system for obstacle detection.